In case you haven't heard, I've been nominated for the #BiBs, brilliance in blogging, in there GO category. I was rather surprised. I didn't think my blogging appealed to that many people and in all honestly I'm not expecting to reach the shortlist, but who knows?

I don't do sponsored posts, mainly because no one has ever offered and I don't know if I'd take up the offer any way. I blog about what happens, how we resolve it as a family and to generally rant and rave about the injustices in life. Since moving to South Africa, my blog has developed, I now self host and I know how to check my stats and add badges and the importance of tags. I've also started blog hopping have joined many networks and I do advertise my posts more.

I've also ventured further a field and signed up via email to subscribe to certain blogs (i can't cope with google reader) but I'm starting to get fed up with how blogging is changing.

When people write geninue posts about holidays, kids, life and love, it doesn't matter how old their children are, I understand, I empathise, I comment. But with the number of sponsored posts out there now, I struggle to find anything in common with the blogger, the products they review aren't relevant to my family or life and the subject line of the email 4/5 times names the company they are reviewing for. To be honesty it puts me off and as a result I've started to unsubscribe now, my blog is real life and I intend to keep it that way....mind you if I do get down to the last 8, feel free to remind me of this post.

Happy blogging...*goes in. search of bloggers who if do sponsored posts at least review products relative to my family*

I do put sponsored posts on my site but it has to be something that I a) would use or find interesting and b) be of useful information to my readers. For example I had a PayDay Loans company contact me about a sponsored post. I would under no circumstances agree to their sponsored post on my site as I detest the whole ethos behind PayDay loans and think they are troublesome and only create debt for individuals. However, an airline who had created a cool kids travel pack of activities contacted me and because I am travelling abroad this year with Roo for the first time, and had in fact been wondering what to take on the plane I agreed to publish their post as I found it interesting and thought it would be helpful to other parents who have long journeys planned this summer. I think you have to find a balance and be really careful who you jump into bed with so to speak on sponsored posts.

i think you have the right balance, i know a few people who's blogging style has changed to make the sponsored post fit their family life and it's very off putting to know they are forcing their writing